Back washer



June 19, 1945. w. DIXON 2,378,471

' BACK WASHER Filed Nov. 22, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor M r Q I IJune 19, 1945. w. DIXON 2,378,471

\ BACK WASHER Filed No v. 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor p/lxon l V//l am J By Patented June 19, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I BACKWASHER William Dixon, Henderson, Ky. Application November 22, 1943,Serial No. 511,325

8 Claims.

This invention is a device for use in facilitating the washing of theback while bathing, and an object of the invention is to provide aportable device of this character which is well adapted for the purposedesigned.

The invention together with its objects and advantages wi11 be bestunderstood from a study of the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings wherein L ure 1 is a side elevationalview illustrating the application of the invention.

Figure-2 is a perspective view of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through a soap receptacle, and a Figure 4is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation illustratinga drive and clutch mechanism hereinafter more fully referred to.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that inthe preferred embodiment thereof the device comprises a support intheform of a pair of laterally spaced parallel base rods 5-5 whichadjacent one end are connected together andsecured in spaced relationthrough the medium of a cross bar 6. At the ends thereof the bars 5 areprovided with opening 1 which through the medium of screws or othersuitable fastening elements the base bars may be secured to a, floor orthe like for anchoring the device more or less permanently.

Rising from the base bars 5 are standards 8 that are braced with respectto the base bars 5 through the medium of brace rods 9.

At the upper ends thereof the standards 8 are connected by a cross bar I0.

Depending from the cross bar Ill and secured at their upper ends to thebar III in any suitablev manner as by being integral therewith areelongated bearing bars I I that are braced relative to the standards 8through the medium of brace bars l2."

A shaft I3 is supported between the upp r ends of the bearing bars II,the ends of the shaft l3 extending through openings provided therefor inthe bars II and having their terminals journaledin the upper ends of thestandards 8. Mounted on the shaft l3 to turn therewith is a roller l4over which is trained an endless scrubbing-towel l5 which is alsotrained over a roller l8 which is rotatably supported between thebearing'rods II at the lower ends of the rods as clearly shown in igure2.

Suitably mounted on one of the standards 8 adjacent the upper end of thelatter, is a gear case [1 into which one end of the roller shaft l3extends. On said end thereof shaft I3 is equipped with a gear l8 that isin mesh with a worm I!) on 0ne.end of the shaft 20 of an electric motor2|. Motor 2| is supported through the medium of a suitable bracketstructure 22 provided therefor adjacent the upper end of one of thebrace bars 9. It will thus be seen that drive from motor 2| istransmitted through the gearing I9 and It to the roller shaft l3 wherebyto cause the endless towel l5 to move over the rollers l4 and I6.

Further in accordance with the present invention there is provided areceptacle 23 for liquid soap and the receptacle 23 has the bottomthereof perforated as at 24 and as shown in Figure 3. The receptacle24'is mounted on the end of a supporting arm 25 which latter at its freeend is provided with a hook 26 that engages over the cross bar ill in amanner shown. Threadedly engaged with the hook-equipped end 26 of thesupporting arm or bracket 25 is a thumb screw 21 that is adapted to bethreaded home into binding engagement with the bar ill for securing thebracket 25' at the desired position of adjustment ible shaft 29.

Shaft 29 has an end thereof extending into the gear case I! and on saidend is provided with a clutch element 3| that is complemental to aclutch element 32 provided on the worm-equipped end of motor shaft 20 asalso shown in Figure 4.

For moving the clutch 3| into and out of 'engagement with the clutchelement 32 there is practice, the support is positioned adjacent one endof a bath tub 36 with the standards 8 disposed at opposite sides of thetub and the lower portion of the towel [5 extending down into the tub.In this connection it will be noted that the bearing bars II are spacedinwardly from the standards -8 a distance suflicient to accommodate theside walls of the tub.

In using the device to wash the back'the user, as suggested in Figure 1,sits in the tub with the back in contact with the towel l5 so thatobviously the towel in its path of travel contacts the back in a mannerto briskly rub the l:afm .thwhentieg sired to supply soap to the oac ore was n oi! the same the receptacle 23 is brought into use and obviouslythe contents of the receptacle discharging through the perforations 24will fall upon the back of the person. In order that the contents in agood, soapy condition will be supplied to the back, the agitator 28 maybe employed and to bring the agitator 28 into play the lever 33 isthrown in a manner to engage the clutch elements 3|, 32 so that drivewill be transmitted from the motor and through the flexible t 29 to theagitator 2a. i ,will thus be seen that with this device the back of thebather may be conveniently thoroughbbed and cleaned. 1y thought that aclear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of adevice of this character will be had without a more deailed description.t Having thus described the invention what is la'med as new is: c In adevice of the character described, a supporting structure adapted to bearranged adjacent one end of a bath tub and embodying a pair of verticalparallel bearing-rods, upper and ted lower rollers respectivelyrotatably suppor between and by the upper and lower ends of said rods,and an endless towel trained over said rollers to engage the back of abather sitting r' ht within the bath tub. 2? In a device of thecharacter described, a

supporting structure adapted to be arranged adne end of a bath tub andembodying 523 12 of vertical parallel bearing-rods, upper and lowerrollers respectively rotatably supported between and by the upper andlower ends of said rods, and an endless towel trained over said rollersto engage the back of a bather s tting upright within the bath tub, asoap dispensing receptacle mounted on said supporting means and arrangedrelative to said towel for discharging soap downwardly onto the back ofthe bather in contact owel.

I r i a device of the character described, a supporting structureadapted to be arranged adjacent one end of a bath tub and embodying apair of vertical parallel bearing-rods, upper and lower rollersrespectively rotatably supported between and by the upper and lower endsof sa d rods, and an endless towel trained over said rollers to engagethe back of a bather sitting upright within the bath tub, asoapdispensing receptacle mounted on said supporting means and arrangedrelative to said towel for discharging soap downwardly onto the back ofthe bather in contact with the towel, a motor mounted on the supportingstructure, and driving mechanism between said motor and one of saidrollers.

4. In a device of the character described, a supporting structureadapted to be arranged adjacent one end of a bath tub and embodying a.pair of vertical parallel bearing-rods, upper and lower rollersrotatably supported between said rods, and an endless towel trained oversaid rollers, a soap dispensing receptacle mounted on said supportingmeans and arranged relative to said towel for dispensing soap on theback of a bather in contact with the towel, and driving mechanismconnected with one 0!. said rollers, and an agitator arranged in saidsoap dispensing receptacle and means operatively connecting saidagitator with said driving mechanism.

5. In a device of the character described, a portable supportingstructure, vertically spaced upper and lower horizontal rollersrotatably mounted on said supporting structure in the same verticalplane, an endless towel trained over saidrollers, a bracket armextending forwardly from and adjustable laterally of said supportingstructure above the upper roller, interengaging'means on said arm andsupporting structure for securing said arm at the desired position oflateral adjustment on said supporting structure, and a soap dispensingreceptacle mounted on said arm.

6. In a device of the character described, a portable supportingstructure, vertically spaced upper and lower horizontal rollersrotatably mounted on said supporting structure in the same verticalplane, an endless towel trained over said rollers, a bracket armextending forwardly from and adjustable laterally of said supportingstructure above the upper roller, interengaging means on said arm andsupporting structure for securing said arm at the desired position oflateral adjustment on said supporting structure, a soap dispensingreceptacle mounted on said am, an electric motor mounted on saidsupporting structure, and drive means operatively connecting said motorwith one of said rollers.

7. In a device of the character described, a portable supportingstructure, vertically spaced upper and lower horizontal rollersrotatably mounted on said supporting structure, an endless towel trainedover said rollers, a bracket arm extending forwardly from saidsupporting structure above the upper roller, interengaging means on saidarm and supporting structure for securing said arm at the desiredposition of lateral adjustment on said supporting structure, and a soapdispensing receptacle mounted on said arm, an electric motor mounted onsaid supporting structure, and drive means operatively connecting saidmotor with one of said rollers, an agitator arranged within said soapdispensing receptacle, and power transmitting means operativelyconnecting said motor with said agitator and including a flexible shaftand a clutch device for controlling the transmission of drive from theshaft of said motor to said flexible shaft.

- 8. In a device of the character described, a supporting structureadapted to rest upon the floor and constructed -to straddle a bath tubadjacent one end of the latter, a vertical scrubbing device suspendedfrom the supporting structure and arranged to depend into the bath tubin position to engage the back of abather sitting upright withinthe-latter, said scrubbing device including an endless towel, and meansto cause traveling movement of said endless towel.

WILLIAM DIXON.

